title: Synergistic anticancer activity of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy in combination with low-dose cisplatin on Hela cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Photodynamic therapy (PDT ) is a promising modality for the treatment of various tumors. In order to assist in optimizing treatment, we applied 5-ALA/PDT in combination with low-dose cisplatin to evaluate cytotoxicity in Hela cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antiproliferative effects of 5-ALA/PDT and cisplatin, alone and in combination, were assessed using MTT assay. To examine levels of apoptosis, Hela cells treated with 5-ALA/PDT, and combination treatment were assessed with Annexin-V/PI by flow cytometry. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying alterations in cell proliferation and apoptosis, Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the expression of p53, p21, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MTT assays indicated that combination treatment obviously decreased the viability of Hela cells compared to individual drug treatment. In addition, it was confirmed that exposure of Hela cells to 5-ALA/PDT in combination with low-dose cisplatin resulted in more apoptosis in vitro. Synergistic anticancer activity was related to upregulation p53 expression and alteration in expression of p21, Bcl-2 and Bax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that administration of 5-ALA/PDT in combination with the low-dose cisplatin may be an effective and feasible therapy for cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong Univeristy , Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Hui-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ai-Hong
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: You-Zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000378:metabolism; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C494826:BAX protein, human; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D002945:Cisplatin